Apr 14 The Health Benefits of Pomegranates (Seeds, Juice, etc)

Let’s quickly talk about the health benefits of pomegranates. Pomegranate has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of diseases. It is part of many cultures including Greek, Hebrew, Buddhist, Islamic, and Christian. The latin name is punica granatum.

This seasonal fruit (sept-feb) is prepared for consumption in a variety of way: seeds, juice, cooking, blending, smoothies and even alcoholic beverages. Most folks who consume it either eat the seeds or consume it after it’s been made into a juice.

Punicalagin (phenol unique to pomegranates, appears to help with heart and artery disease)

Fiber (especially in seeds)

Mono and Polyunsaturated Fats (punic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid)

May contain steroid hormones (unclear evidence)

In summary, pomegranates are an extraordinarily nutritious so-called “super food”, a term I'm not a huge fan of. However, They are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and polyphenols. They also appear to provide a variety of health benefits, especially regarding heart and vascular disease as well as cancer, although more research is needed to really identify exactly what those benefits are.